'The game is alive' Hull FC coach makes amateur game verdict as rep match ups show future path

Rugby League participation in Hull is on the way up.

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14:50, 26 SEP 2024

Hull FC coaches Francis Cummins and Simon Grix. (Image: SW Pix)

Francis Cummins has commended both Hull FC and Hull KR for the work done together with City of Hull & District Rugby League. The organisation posted a 67% increase in participation levels last week, with representative games also helping to maintain and grow that figure over the last five years.

Those representative games have seen an East Hull team take on West Hull at Craven Park earlier this month, with a City of Hull team also playing Scotland at the University of Hull.

Featuring young players who didn't get selected for scholarship, in Cummins view, it keeps the game, and indeed the dreams, alive. At Hull FC that is clear to see, with Will Hutchinson for one not getting picked for scholarship, but who now has been rewarded with a first-team contract after starring in the academy for the last two years.

Cummins is hoping to unearth more of those stories in the coming seasons, with one such story being Alex Walmsley way back when. Speaking to Hull Live, Cummins said: "There's things that both Hull and Rovers are doing now that can only benefit the game. The Easts vs. Wests match ups and games like last week where a combined Hull team played Scotland are keeping people involved and playing.

"We can all see a Kevin Sinfield and a Sam Burgess at 14, they were probably like that then, but for the majority of players, you can't always tell. That's just how it is, I was involved in Alex Walmsley, I got him playing as an 8-year-old, but he wasn't on any scholarship, but then next thing he's the best prop in Super League.

"It's not as extreme as that here, but you still have to make decisions and sometimes you're not sure, but if you've got another avenue to keep people involved in the game, they can then mature a bit later and get more confident or physically grow. There's opportunities, and that's really pleasing."

A big advocate of the amateur game, Cummins is delighted with recent progress, with the Black and Whites coach wanting to more representative fixtures in the calendar like the one against Scotland earlier this month, which in his view really shows that the game is 'alive.'

"I'm a rugby league fan," Cummins added. "I'm steeped in amateur rugby league, and the more we can keep our players involved and keep vehicles like the City of Hull rep teams for lads who aren't signed on to play against others, I think that's the way forward.

"We had it before with the old town and inter city teams. We should encourage that, as you've got an element of competition that is a little bit higher than club rugby but is also strengthening the game again.

"Its showing. Last week, the university was packed out with parents from both Hull and the Scottish team, and on occasions like that, you really do think the game is alive. We get caught up in television figures and funding, but when we start looking at the strength and passion of the amateur game, that's what we've got to keep hold of, as well as strengthen that top bit."